NEW YORK, Aug 9 (Reuters) - Retailers are fueling a

summer rush of imports to the United States this year, as

companies guard against a potential port workers strike and

ongoing shipping disruptions from attacks in the Red Sea ahead

of a shortened holiday shopping season.

Container imports and freight rates surged in July,

signaling an earlier-than-usual peak season for the ocean

shipping industry that handles about 80% of global trade.

July is expected to be the peak for U.S. retailers, who

account for about half of that trade, and August is expected to

be almost as robust, analysts said.

Companies that import toys, home goods and consumer

electronics have brought forward holiday promotions to capture

customers who are shopping earlier each season. "Retailers don't

want to be caught back-footed," said Jonathan Gold, the National

Retail Federation's (NRF) vice president for supply chain and

customs policy.

Many shippers expedited holiday goods orders, with some

putting Christmas items on the water as early as May, said Peter

Sand, chief analyst at pricing platform Xeneta.

The influx is not due to consumer spending, which has been

tethered by persistent inflation and high interest rates,

experts said. Rather, it is a precaution against a potential

U.S. port strike and the late Nov. 28 date of Thanksgiving this

year that crunches the peak shopping and delivery season running

to Christmas Eve.

In July, U.S. container imports notched the third-highest

monthly volume on record with 2.6 million 20-foot equivalent

units (TEUs), up 16.8% from the year earlier, in part due to

record imports from China, according to supply chain software

provider Descartes Systems Group ( DSGX ).

The NRF, which is chaired by the CEO of Walmart's ( WMT ) U.S. unit

and includes the CEOs of Target ( TGT ), Macy's

and Saks on its executive committee, said it also expects strong

August imports. Walmart ( WMT ), the nation's largest container shipping

importer, reports second-quarter earnings on Aug. 15.

Retailers are concerned about a possible Oct. 1 strike at

seaports stretching from Maine to Texas after talks between the

International Longshoremen's Association and the United States

Maritime Alliance stalled.

Non-contract spot rates for a container going from the

Far East to the U.S. West Coast jumped 144% between the end of

April and start of July, but have since fallen 17%, with similar

trends seen in container routes to the U.S. East Coast and into

North Europe and the Mediterranean, according to Xeneta.

"We should now see the spot market fall further, but the

decline is unlikely to be as rapid as the rise, so it still

going to be a painful end to the year for shippers," Sand said.

TARIFF THREAT

The industrial sector has been a significant driver of U.S.

container import growth in the first half of 2024, in part due

to looming tariffs on exports from China and other countries.

President Joe Biden's administration levied new tariffs on

numerous goods that will take effect later this year.

"The big tariff pull-through is EV batteries and solar

cells," said Jason Miller, professor of supply chain management

at Michigan State University's business school.

Biden has maintained tariffs put in place by his predecessor

Donald Trump, who as the 2024 Republican nominee has threatened

more and larger tariffs if he regains the White House. Despite

that threat, the response from companies has so far been muted,

Miller said.

Global shipper Maersk said there could be some

pulling forward of demand ahead of the U.S. election in November

due to uncertainty about tariffs.

"Where there seems to be agreement so far is that the United

States and China have entered into a much more competitive

relationship, and it will not matter whether one party or the

other wins the election," Maersk CEO Vincent Clerc said this

week.